William b



w. B. TUNST ALL.

STRIP REGISTERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I6. 1916.

Patented Q90. 23, 1919.

1711- ATEZNEZE UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTQE.

WILLIAM B. TUNSTALL, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE 1?. BRAND, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STRIP-REGISTERING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 16, 1916.

form an essential part of the playing inechanism of the instrument.

Another object of the invention is to provide means ofv the character stated that will automatically adapt themselves to variations in sheet or strip widths, and maintain accurate registration regardless of such variations.

Another object of the invention is to provide spool-positioning means to insure accurate rewinding of the strips on the spools from which they are unwound during the playing operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the aforesaid positioning means shall be made operative simultaneously with the setting of the rewinding mechanism.

Although I have set forth some of the special objects attained by the present invention, I do not wish it to be understood that the invention is limited to means for the attainment of such special objects. any modifications may be made within the scope of the invention to adapt it to a variety of uses; therefore, the embodiment shown by the drawings appended hereto and the terminology of this specification are to be considered as for the purposes of illustration and description and not for limitation.

Many of the musical instruments to which this invention may be applied are provided with tracker-boards having very small holes. The warping, swelling and shrinking of the music strips, due to atmospheric changes, preclude accurate winding of the strips and have the effect of throwing the perforations of the strips out of alinement with the proper holes in the tracker-board as the strip passes over the board during the play- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23,1919.

Serial u 84,605.

supply spool during rewinding has the same effect. In Patent No. 84:1,? 10, granted to me January 22, 1907, I have illustrated and described pneumatically "operated mechanism whereby edgewise movement of the strip, or aberrancy of the strip in directions transverse its length, during the playing operation, is automatically compensated for by endwise movement of the supply spool, so that the longitudinal median line of the strip does not deviate either to the right or left with relation to a spot on the trackerboard over which it is intended to travel. In my present improvement I have eliminated the pneumatic features from the registering mechanism, so that it is not subject to the disadvantages incident to pneumatic controL Of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate conventionally one embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my invention as applied to an automatic musical instrument.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown by Fig. 1,the music rolls, 11'111510'5131113 and certain members of the rewinding mechanism shown at the lower right of Fig. 1 being omitted, and a small part of the upper structure being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a detail. view of a detent-carrying lever shown at the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bracket shown at the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 1. The lever shown by Fig. l is pivoted to the bracket shown by Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of members shown at the left of Fig. 3, showing the members in a different position.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

endwise movement, a bracket 1 1 affording additional bearing for the spindle 12. The

music strip is indicated at 16, and the takeup or winding spool is indicated at 17. I have shown clutch spindles 18 and 19 for carrying the winding spool in such manner that it may be removed at will, as is common. At 20 is indicated a thrust bearing for the spindle 19. This bearing is provided with means 20 for determining or limiting outward endwise n'iovement of the spindle 19 and for centering the winding spool 17 with relation to the tracker-board. The right-hand end of'the winding spool 17 is .provided with a central projection 21, and the inner endof spindle 19 is provided with a slot to receive the end portion of 21, said end portion and said slot having correspond ing angular formations, such as splines and grooves, whereby rotary motion imparted to the spindle 19 will be positively trans mitted to the spool 17. The spindle or plunger 18 is acted upon by a compression spring 22 which imparts endwise movement to the spindle so that its socketed end presses projection 21 of the spool, whereby the spool is removably but firmly clutched between spindles 18 and 19; The spindle .18 is free to rotate with the spool.

Referring to Fig. 3,the bracket lat (at the left) has secured thereto, as by screws 21, a member 25 to which is pivoted a twoarmed lever 26. One arm of this lever is arranged to engage the outer end of the spindle '12. The other arm of the lever 26 is slotted so as to encircle loosely aslender rod 27. The right-hand end portion of the rod passes through a loosely-encircling slot in a lever 28, afiixed to bracket 29, affixed to a vertical portion of the frame .10, which lever is similar to lever 26. Encircling the left-hand end portion of the rod 27 is a compression spring 30 the ends of which contact respectively with lever 2.6 .and adjustable collar The spring will be more or less compressed when a supply spool 11 is inserted between the inner ends of the clutch spindles 12 and 13, according to the predetermined adjustmentof the rod 27 and lever 28, which adjustment may be had by means such as a thread-engaging member 31 which travels lengthwise on the screwthreaded part of the rod when'the'said mem ber 31 is rotated, or according to variation in the length of the spool 11. The adjustable collar 32 or the member 31 may be preliminarily located so that the desired clutching force of the spindles 12 and 13 on the supply spool 11 may be obtained. An adjustable collar .33 on clutch spindle l2 limits endwise movement of the spindle in either direction.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a bracket 3i is secured to the rear of the tracker-board 35, and to this bracket 34 is pivoted a lever 36. Spaced apart from bracket 34, and likewise secured to the tracker-board, there is shown in Fig. 3 a bracket 37 and a lever 38, similar to 36', pivoted to said bracket 37. A rod 39 extends from lever 38 to one arm of an equalizing lever #10, and a shorter rod l1 extends from lever 36 to the other arm of lever 40. Connected respectively to levers 38 and 36 are wires 42 and 13 (Fig. 3), which wires extend from a tension spring H. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the free ends of levers 36 and 38 extend through slots 35, 35 in the tracker-board to points beyond the front surface of the tracker-board and are provided.respectively with strip-engaging memhere 45 and i6. These strip-engaging members will be normally urged to approach each other, sufliciently to engage the edges flan intervening music strip 16, by reason of the relatively light tension of spring 44. The tracker-board 35 has frontal vertical grooves to permit the members 15 and so to extend below its front surface, whereby the strip is prevented from passing behind them.

The equalizing lever 40, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3 and 6, is pivoted to a laterally projecting member 4-7 located on a vertical shaft 48 which has step bearing in a bracket 49 affixed to the frame 10. The upper end of shaft 18 bears in a bracket 50 rigidly attached to the frame. Near its upper end the shaft 48 has a radial arm 51 which oscillates with the shaft and is located so that it projects through a slot provided for. its reception in a lever (see Figs. 1 and t) which is pivoted at to a bracket 54: (best shown by Fig. 5) fastened to the frame by screws 55. The horizontal oscillation of the arm 51 causes vertical oscillation of lever 52. Rigidly secured to lever are detent members 56 and 57 which pass respectively through cars 83 and 84L of bracket 541-, the free end of each. said detent being formed so that it may engage the thread of one of two oppositely threaded portions of a compound member 58 on spindle 13, when the detent is swung downward. Adjustable abutment screws 85 and 86 in ears 87 and 88 of bracket 54 prevent excessive swinging movement of lever 52 so that the arcuate movement of the contacting portion of the detents will not throw the spindle 13 in an-endwise direc tion. The compound member 58 is fixed on spindle 13 by setscrew G1, and comprises two oppositely screw-threaded zones 58 and 58 separated by an endless peripheral groove; a sprocket wheel 58. and a brake member 58 with which a brake shoe not shown) is arran'gedto coact in a well known manner when the winding mechanism, presently'to be described, is in operation. I lind it convenient to n'iake the parts of the men ber 58 integral as described, although, of course, I do not confine myself to such in tegral construction. A restraining lever 60 is pivoted at 59 to bracket 54, and this lever may be raised to horizontal position to prevent oscillation of lever 54 and thereby keep detents 56 and 57 out of contact with the threaded member during rewinding, the lever 60 being movable to horizontal restraining position by mechanism to be described.

J ournaled in the frame 10 is a shaft which is provided with a sprocket wheel 66 adapted to be driven by means such as an endless chain and a suitable motor, not shown. Loosely mounted upon shaft 65 is a sprocket wheel 67 the hub of which has a circumferential groove which receives a re*-. taining member or detent 68 the purpose of which is to cause the sprocket wheel 67 always to occupy the same vertical plane.

Detent 68 is secured to the frame 10. Splinedto shaft 65 is a pinion 69 movable on the shaft to mesh with gear 70 to drive spindle 19 as shown, and likewise movable to drive sprocket wheel 67 for the rewinding opera tion. A bracket 71 secured to the frame 10 has pivoted thereto a bell-crank lever 72 which is arranged to be capable of moving. pinion 69 along shaft 65, into and out of engagement with gear 7 0 and sprocket wheel 67. The mechanism described in this paragraph is common and well. known and no detailed description thereof will be required. In my present improvement, however, the short arm of lever 72 is provided with slot through which extends a headed pin 76 fixed in a vertically reciprocatable bent or offset rod 77 having a guide bearing in bracket 64. The travel of pin 76 within the essential limits is practically vertical, as the median point of its travel is at dead center of the lever 72, but, if desired, the pinreceiving slot may be slightly elongated.

Mounted on the upper end of rod 77 and adjustably secured thereto by screw 78 is a hollow cylindrical member 79 having a conical top portion. Extendingupward from the member 79 and adjustably secured therein by setscrew 80 is a rod 81 which passes through ear 54' of bracket 54. (See Figs. 2 and 5). The upper end portion of 81 is bent to a right angle and extends through slot 82 in bracket 54 as shown by Figs. v1 and 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: A supply spool 11 is placed between clutch spindles 12 and 13, the strip is carried down; between contact members 45 and 46, and the end of the strip is attached to winding spool 17 in any suitable manner. Motion is im-f parted to sprocket wheel 66, from any suit-1 able source of power, to drive pinion 69 which actuates gear 70 to impart motion to is thus drawn downward across the trackerboard and wound on the winding spool. Assuming that the strip 16 has been inaccurately wound on the supply spool 11, by reason of shrinkage or expansion of the strip, or skewing thereof from any cause, so that the longitudinal edges of the stripcoils are not even, then the resulting edgewise movement of the strip as it is being unwound will cause pressure on one of the strip touching-members 45 or 46, accord ing to the direction of such movement. Pressure on member 45 would cause rod 39 (Fig. 3) to move to the right, which would cause movement of the rear arm of equalizing lever 40 to the right. lVhile pressure is thus being exerted on member 45, the wire 42, spring 44 and wire 43 draw member 46 inward to keep it in contact with its edge of the sheet, which results in rod 41 being moved to the right at the same time as is rod 39. Thus the member 47 on which equalizing lever 40 is mounted will be moved to the right, as shown by Fig. 6, whereby shaft 48 is oscillated. Radial arm 51 will thus be moved to the left and swing lever 13 to move to the right during the period of contact therewith by detent 56, while spindle 13 and spool 11 are rotating, and the end-wise movement of the spindle and spool will continue until the edgewise movement of the strip is neutralized. As soon as the abnormal pressure by the strip on member 45 ceases, the pressure and pull on the respective arms of equalizing lever 40 will terminate, and the parts will assume their normal position as determined by the strip edges.

From the foregoing it will be understood that if the endwise movement of the strip were in a direction to cause pressure on member 46, the rod 41 would tend to pull lever 40 to the left, and supplemental pulling force would be exerted by the inward movement of the strip-touching member 45, due to spring 44 and its connections with the levers 36 and 38, so that the two forces would pull. lever 40 bodily to the left (Fig. 3) to oscillate shaft 48, whereby arm 51 would move to the right to swing lever 52 so that its detent 57 would engage the screwthread of portion 58, which has a left-hand lead. Thus the spindle 13 and spool 11, as they rotated, would be moved to the left to neutralize the edgewise movement of the strip, or, in other words, to bring the strip to its normal or central position.

If the strip be narrower than usual, the lever 40 will merely swing on its pivot and W111 not impart movement to the member 47.

65 spindle 19 and winding spool 17. The strip This is because of the action of spring 44,

which draws in contactmernbers-ifi an equal distance, and the pull ofjrodBS) and the push-of rod ll on lever l0 are equal sprocket wheel 58 on spindle 13. Movement of the lever 72 carries upward the rod, 77

on which the cone-topped member 7 9 is carried, and the latter is forced upward to the position shown in Fig. 2. I VVhenin this position the member 79, which is circular in horizontal section, occupies the groove-be.

tween the portions 58 and 58 so that the spindle 13 is unable to move endwise ei'ther to the right or left. If the spindle is out of center when the lever 72 is moved to rewinding position, the cone top of the member 79 will bring the spindle to central position by reason of the contact of it'sc onicalwall with one or the other of the. walls of the groove, and continued upward movemen'tof the member 79 brings its cylindrical portion .into the groove to prevent endwise movement of the spindle as aforesaid. As the member 7 9 rises it carries with it the bent rod 81 extending from the apex thereof and projecting through slot 82, the rod 81 carrying upward thelever 60 to lock the lever 52 in its central position, whereby the detents 56 and 57 are prevented from coming into engagement 7 with the screw-threaded portions 58 and 58", thus preventing damage to either detents or threaded portions. When the rewinding has been accomplished, movement of the lower arm of lever72 to the "left (Fig. 1) will restore the parts to position for playing, and the refilled supply roll may be removed and another substituted if'des'ired.

I claim:

1. In strip-registering mechanism, oppositely disposed levers each having a striptouching part, means arranged to cause each of said strip-touching parts to contact with a longitudinal edge of the strip, regardless of variations of strip width, an'equalizing lever pivoted to a pivot-carryingmember carried by and movable with an oscillatory shaft,'rods extending onefrom each ofsaid oppositely disposed levers .and connectedto said equalizing .lever soas to permit. variation in strip width but so thatmovement imparted to one of said oppositely disposed levers by edgewise movement of the'strip theretoward will causemovement' of said oscillatory shaft, and means ope rable by lsaid oscillatoiyshaft to cause counteraction of ed gew'ise movement of the strip. 7 2. lnstripsregistering mechanism, the coinbinationfwith' a strip-supply spool, two coacting spindles for carrying said spool, means for imparting endwise movement of one ofxsaid spindles to the other to keep them in spoolscarrying relation, a part on one .of said spindles having oppositely screwscrew-threaded zones, whereby movement to counteract such edgewise movement of the stripis imparted to said spool during rotation thereof.

' 3. In strip-registering mechanism, oppoj-sitely disposed levers each provided with a strip-engaging part, a spring connecting said levers so as to keep their strip-engaging parts in engagement with the strip, an equalizing lever, a rod extending from each of said oppositely disposed levers, said rods being connectedgto the respective arms of said equalizing lever, an oscillatory shaft, a member carried by said shaft and having said equalizing lever pivotedthereto, a spin- .dle arranged to carry a strlp-supply spool and having oppositely screw-threaded zones, a detent-carrymg lever and thread-engaging detents carried thereby, and a member projecting from said oscillatory shaft and arranged to move said detent-carrying lever so as to cause the appropriate one of said thread-c ingaging detents to engage one of I said screw-threaded zones when said shaft is oscillated by reason of edgewise movement of the strip, to'cause endwise movement of said splndle in the direction opposite to that of edgewise movement of the strip when said spindle isrotating.

i. In" strip-registering mechanism, in combination, asupply-spool-carrying spindle normally capable of free endwise movement, means for imparting rewinding motion to said spindle, means for positively locking said spindle against endwise movement, and means for setting said rewinding means and 'said locking means simultaneously.

5.111 strip-registering mechanism, the combination with a supply-spool-carrying spindlenormally capable of free endwise movement, and a lever carryingthread-engaging members movable into engagement with'a screw-threaded 'parton said spindle for causing :endwise: movement of said spindle during revolution of the spindle while a spoolcarriedby said spindle is being unwound, of mechanism for imparting rewinding n otion tosaid spindle, means for holding said thread-engaging members in inactive position, means for locking said spindle against endwise movement, and means for setting said rewinding mechanism and said holding means and said locking means simultaneously.

6. In strip-registering mechanism, a supply-spool-carrying spindle normally capable of free endwise movement and having a part provided with an endless groove, means for imparting rewinding motion to said spindle, a locking member arranged to enter said groove to prevent endwise movement of the spindle, and means for setting said rewind- 1 ing means and said locking member simultaneously.

7. In mechanism of the character described, a note-sheet support and a tracker bar, one of which is laterally movable relatively to the other, a mechanically operated actuator normally inefltective but adapted, when effective, to shift the relative lateral positions of said support and bar, notesheet edge contacting means carried by the tracker bar and having extended surfaces whereby the operation of said means is not affected by local irregularities in the edges 01": the note-sheet, and connections between said contacting means and said actuator for controlling the operation of the latter.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

WILLIAM B. TUNSTALL. 

